1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nozzle cleaning method for cleaning a dispenser nozzle through which liquid is sucked and discharged, a nozzle cleaning device, and an automatic analyzer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, automatic analyzers have a nozzle cleaning device that cleans a dispenser nozzle, to avoid carry over that affects a result of analysis with a previously-dispensed specimen adhering onto the dispenser nozzle and being brought into a next specimen dispensation. This nozzle cleaning device is provided at an intermediate position along a path on which the dispenser nozzle moves between a position at which the specimen is sucked and a position at which the specimen is discharged, and is configured to provide cleaning fluid to the dispenser nozzle. In a nozzle cleaning method using this nozzle cleaning device, the dispenser nozzle is moved to the position of the nozzle cleaning device after a dispensation is completed by sucking and discharging the specimen, and the dispenser nozzle is cleaned by cleaning fluid provided to this dispenser nozzle (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-241442).